her equally worn T-shirt, only appreciation altered the curve of his lips.
Her nipples tightened, driving a spike of longing straight to her core. She crossed her arms over her chest a fraction too late. His smug grin confirmed that her bodyâs involuntary response hadnât gone unnoticed. Why couldnât he disapprove of her appearance just this once? It would give her a firm base to build resentment on. Instead, she felt all mushy and weak-kneed.
âI see youâre up.â He stirred something in a pot on the stove, something that smelled heavenly. âFeeling better?â
âYou left.â
âI went out and bought some supplies. I figured youâd be hungry when you woke up.â
âI locked the door.â
âI anticipated that and took your keys with me.â
Damn the man for having all the answers. She retreated to her room to put on a robe and comb her hair. Using the water heâd left beside her bed, she brushed her teeth. A quick rinse with mouthwash, and she returned to sit on a stool at her breakfast bar and scowl at him.
âYou certainly have made yourself at home,â she groused. âI donât recall issuing you an invitation to dinner.â
âYou were in no shape to issue any sort of invitation.â His slow smile increased the roomâs temperature. âBut Iâve always had a knack for anticipating a womanâs needs.â He nudged a teacup toward her. âItâs peppermint. Good for nausea.â
Wondering how heâd know something like that, Emma sipped the tea. âAre you sure it was my needs you were anticipating and not yours?â
âI assure you, I thought only of you.â
Skepticism rumbled in her throat. Emma nodded toward the stove. âWhat are you cooking?â
âChicken soup. My motherâs recipe.â
Now this was too much. âFrom scratch?â
âThatâs the only way. Would you like to try some?â
âHow could I resist?â
Nathan dished up two bowls and pushed a plate of crackers toward her. Emma inhaled the soupâs aroma and her stomach growled impatiently. The first spoonful of smooth chicken broth slid across her tongue, stimulating her taste buds with cilantro, lime and a hint of onion.
âThis is delicious.â
âItâs not bothering your stomach?â
âNot at all. What a relief.â
Nathan finished his soup and set his bowl in her sink.
âAre you feeling strong enough to tell me what happened to your bathroom?â
âI had a leak in the shower.â
âLooks like overkill for a leak.â
âThe plumber I hired found mold. I had him rip everything out so we could see how bad it was.â
Her explanation made him hiss in exasperation. âHow long has it been like this?â
âA couple weeks.â
âYou need to get this taken care of.â
She resented his assumption that she needed him to point that out to her. âItâs the holidays and everyone I called is busy until the end of January.â
âMold is dangerous. You canât stay here.â
âIâve been living here for a year. I can survive another month.â Besides, she had no place to go.
âItâs dangerous,â he repeated. âWhy didnât you check into a hotel?â
âI canât afford to.â
âWhy not?â
It was time to explain what was really going on. âLast February, Daddy cut me off from my trust fund and gave me a hundred thousand to live on for the year.â
âWhy a hundred thousand?â
Emma grimaced. âItâs what I spent on shoes the year before.â Seeing the grin tugging at Nathanâs lips, she rushed on. âNew Yearâs Eve, Daddy and I made a deal. If I replace the hundred thousand in my account by Valentineâs Day, heâs promised to sign over my money and I donât have to marry you.â She loaded the last bit